Pencil point sharpener



Aug. 5, 1952 w. v. EAKINS PENCIL POINT SHARPENER Filed April 11, 1950 /3 /c5 /6 34 3/ 53 5/ 32 Z6 Z7 /7 Z5 524444 u m a; m?

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Patented Aug. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE '5 2,605,747 I 1 PENCIL POINT SHARPENEB I William V. Eakins, Buffalo, Y. Application April 11, 1950, Serial No. 155,227 7 3 Claims. (01. 120-49) This invention relates to pencil sharpeners and particularly to a novel device for sanding the point portions of pencils.

Draftsmen, artists, and others desiring a sharply pointed pencil usually employ a sandpaper paddle or the like to sand the point or graphite portions of pencils. These paddles are messy to handle and the degree of uniformity in results obtained is dependent entirely on the user.

Various mechanical contrivances have been proposed to render this point sanding operation more satisfactory, but none of the prior art proposals have been satisfactory. Either they are too complicated to manufacture and operate or the results obtained have been no more satisfactory than by the conventionaluse of an ordinary sandpaper paddle.

The present invention provides a relatively simple tool by which pencils may be pointed uniformly without any skill on the part of the operator and by a simple manipulation. The device of the present invention is simple to manufacture and may accordingly be made available economically.

Various advantages both in the manufacture and use of the device will occur to those skilled in the art from a study of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. It is to be understood, however, that the specific form of the invention thus illustrated and described is by way of example only, and the principles of the present invention are limited only as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a general perspective view of one form of the sharpening device of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view therethrough.

The device of the present invention comprises generally a pair of telescoping or intersliding standing manipulating fitting l3 which may be fastened to base plate lZias by screws I4.. Fitting I3 is provided with a finger opening as at [5.

A sandpaper retaining plate is designated I6 and is provided with a channel formation [1 at one end which hooks over the inner end of base plate I2. The other end of retaining plate I6 is removably secured against base plate l2 by means of thumb screws l8 and a sheet of sandpaper, emery .cloth or the like, designated l9 in Figs. 1 and 2, is held between base plate" and retaining plate I6, access to its abrading surface being afforded by means of an opening 20 in retaining plate l6. ,7 p

The companion member ll comprises an inverted channel having inturned bottom flanges 2| to form a generally rectangular tube slidable over theassembled plates [2 and I6 of element [0. The outer end of element l l is likewise provided with an upstanding manipulating fitting, as at 22, which may be secured to member II by screws 23, a filler block 24 being provided to facilitate securement of fitting 22. Fitting 22 is provided with a thumb opening 25.

The top surface of member I l is provided with an angularly extending point guiding sleeve or ferrule 26, which may have a flanged base portion 21 for securement to member II by riveting or in any desired manner. The oblique or angular bore which sleeve 26 provides extends through the upper part of member ll so that a pencil lead or point guided therein, may be applied to the abrading surface of sandpaper l9 at the ideal angle and maintained at such angle, the operator being free to rotate the pencil during sharpening to produce a nicely rounded point or to hold the pencil against rotation if a chisel or wedge-shaped point is desired.

The intersliding members In and H are normally biased to their extended positions by a compression coil spring 33 which is housed in a tubular casing 3| fixed to the top of member ll. One end of spring 30 bears against the closed end of casing 3| as at 32 and the other end bears against a collar 33 which is fixed to a spring rod 34. The outer end of spring rod 34 is ofiset and is provided with an eye formation as at 35 to receive a screw 36 which secures it removably to the base plate 12 of member ID.

A portion of tubular casing 3| may be bent inwardly as at 31 after the spring 30 and spring rod 34, with collar 33, have been assembled in the casing. This limits outward movement of spring rod 34 and accordingly limits expanding movement of the members l0 and H.

When disassembly is desired, as when the sandpaper needs changing, screw 36 is merely removed to permit members Ill and H to be separated from each other.

There is thus provided a device which the user may hold with the index finger and thumb of the left hand, for instance, while holding a pencil with its point in the tubular guide or sleeve 26 with the right hand. The device is then reciprocated by successive contracting-movements of the index finger and thumb, during which time the pencil may be rotated, for a round point, or held stationary, for a wedge or chisel edge.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sharpener for pencils and the like an elongate plate member having an abrasive surface portion, an elongate guide member engaging transversely about the plate member for relative longitudinal intersliding movement, a pencil point receiving guide opening in said guide member opening to said abrasive surface portion, spring means urging the plate and guide members to relatively expanded positions, each of said members having a finger receiving loop formation, said loop formations being spaced to receive the thumb and forefinger of a users hand for producing relative reciprocation of the members by successive manual contracting movements of one of the users hands.

2. In a sharpener for pencils and the like, a pair of members guided for relative contracting .and expanding intersliding movement, spring means urging said members to expanded position, abrasive sharpening means on one of said members, and a tubular pencil receiving guide on .the other member for guiding a pencil point against said surface, said members having portions engageable one handof a user to impart contracting movement thereto against the resistance of said spring means while the pencil is held and manipulated in said guide with the users other hand.

3. In a sharpener for pencils and the like, a pair of members guided for relative contracting and expanding intersliding movement, spring means urging said members to expanded position, abrasive sharpening means on one of said members, and a tubular pencil receiving guide on. the other member for guiding a pencil point against said surface, each of said members having a finger receiving loop formation so disposed as to be ,engageable by the thumb and forefinger of a user to-impart contracting movement thereto against the resistance of said spring means by successive contracting movements of one of the users 'hands.

WILLIAM V. EAKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

